Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-04-01
SHOT In COURT.
The Rayisler Of a Child Shot in a Ne.
braska COURTROOM by His
Victims Brother.
The Wife Of the Dead Man Threat.
ened with Lynching by an
Angry Mob OF Citizens.

A special to the Omaha Bee Of the 2fst
says last night was u wild one in Hastings
and excitement rsi:ued supreme. The
tragic death OF DR.. Randall i'll the court
loom drew hundreds OF people about the
building, but not one person could be
found WHO expressed regret ut the occur
renee. At first it was impossible to ascsr-
tain WHO dill the shooting, but finally it
was nos III about that lie was q brother OF
the outraged girl. 1t seems that twenty
five men had come from Edgar, the home
OF Marion Hart, the girls father, with the
intention Of lynching Randall. Young
Hart, however, was TOO quick for Them,
and rs soon rs the testimony was I'LL in he
suddenly pulled q revolver from beneath
his coat md fred. His aim was u%nerring,
striking Randall in the center of the head.
killing him instantly. Immediately there
was the viii lest confusion IN the court
house. Young Hart, however, coolly turned
around and walked out of the door. On
the steps he met the sheriff, but neither
that official nor any of the bystanders cared
to arrest the young man. Where lie went
to is ut present unknown, blu the men
from Edgar declare that he will not long be
u fugitive, as they will see that lie returns
10 his home and will guard him from any
! attempts that may be made to deprive him
of his liberty.
Immediately after the shooting, Marion
Hart, the father of the girl, rushed up to
the corpse md kicked it, remarking, Il
want to see hat a good clean job has been
i done. and that The villain will not return to
life" The corpse was then removed to the
rniortol.pp's x,nroo uharo lorra crov6S
gathered to take u look ut the dead raw
Usher.
During all this time Mrs. Randall, the
wife of the dead man and implicated with
him in the crime, remained in the court
room under q guard of officers, as it was
feared that the Infatuated crowd outside
would lynch her if she attempted to leave
the building. Finally, however, a carriage
was secured and the woman, accompanied
boarding house. The mob, on hearing Of
1t, Immediately started in pursuit, and
gathered about the house where she was
stopping five hundred strong. Their
curses were loud and deep. and it became
evident to the officers that unless she
could be spirited out Of o W another
tragedy would occur. Not u man
could be found in Hastings who would
help guard the woman, and the sheriff was
OOllScu W Scuu ~ x1OWuEu " ocCUIc
twenty-five men to help keep back the
mob. When the Howard contingent mr.
rived they were all sworn in rs deputy
sherifs, and it Was resolved to take Mrs.
Randall to Grand Island under their guard.
A two-horse carriage WIS accordingly Sc
cured and stationed about two blocks away
from the house. Mrs. Randall thendonned
a plug hat and cutaway coat, and in this
disguise left :hc house in the company of
the officers. They managed to elude the
vigilance OF the mob, and entering the car
ringe the woman Was driven rapidly away
with the guards in attendance. 1t was
, some time before the crowd surrounding
the house were aware of Mrs. Randal's
departure, aud when her escape was made
known their fury was %unbounGed. About
u dozen mounted men, fully armed,
started in pursuit of the fugitive, bound,
if possible, TO overtake her and end
!: her life. Their plans, however, failed,
as the woman had too much
them u chance to wreak their vengeance.
When about five miles from Grand Island
one of the horses attached to the carriage
in which Mrs. Randall was rid ng suddenly
dropped dead. and in order to proceed it
was necessary for the officers to Lorrow \
fresh anim"l from John Kraft, Il farmer
living near where the accident occurred. II
was shortly after 8 o'clock i'll the morning
when the outfit arrived in Grand Island and
Mrs. Randall was lodged in Jail for safe
keeping. The pursuers arrived about fif-
teen minutes later, but too late TO carry out
their deadly plan.
The shooting and the exciting chase have
been the one theme of conversation here all
day, even the congregations ut the churches
discussing the tragedy until the services
actually commenced, and returning to the
theme us soon as the benediction was pro-
nounced. To show the feeling of the pop
ulace towards young Hart, the %shootist.
May offers OF So apiece have been made
for his photographs.
A Paymaster Robbed.